2013's Most Memorable Bay Area Proud Stories

Receive the latest local updates in your inbox

Update: Our top story of the year is that of Jen Bulik-Lang, a beautiful bride with a deadly disease. We did three separate stories with Jen over the course of the year. All three are included below.

In 2013 NBC Bay Area produced more than 80 unique stories of success, kindness, and courage as part of our Bay Area Proud series.

Leading up to the end of the year we are counting down the 10 most memorable of those stories (based on online views).

We hope you enjoy watching them as much as we enjoyed reporting them, and when done, feel a bit better about the world around you.

As always, if you know a remarkable person with good news story to share, please email me and let me know.

#1 (Part 1)Bride With Terminal Cancer Gets Amazing Wedding Gift

When Jen Bulik was told she had just months to live, she vowed to make the most of the time she had left. She had no idea that someone she had never met was about to help her do that. Watch our first story on Jen, here.

#1 (Part 2)Dream Wedding Comes True For Bride With Terminal Cancer

Wedding planner Erica Ota can hardly believe in just two weeks she put together a wedding that would normally take six months to plan. Jen Bulik-Lang and her husband, Jeff, are still pinching themselves to see if it was all real. See their big day, here.

#1 (Part 3)Dream Wedding Bride Loses Battle With Cancer

Less than three months after her dream wedding, Jen Bulik-Lang lost her battle with cancer., here.

School funding in California is a complex equation. One South Bay elementary school, though, knows exactly where one of its revenue streams comes from: down the block. See what it is, here.

#3Peninsula Man Becomes Eagle Scout At Age 85:

It took a family tragedy and a world war to stop George Maher from becoming an Eagle Scout. It took a concerned co-worker, more than sixty years later, to set things right. See it happen, here.

#4Former Students Give Choir Teacher Emotional Musical Tribute:

It is one thing to be told that your life mattered. It's quite another to have 150 voices sing that message in perfect harmony. Watch it happen, here.

#57-Year-Old Raises Thousands To Fight Disease That Took Her Mom:

Kenna Reeder is a San Jose 7-year-old who lost her mother, Robin, to breast cancer. She is also someone from whom we could all learn a thing or two about handling grief. Watch her story, here.

#6San Jose Woman Fills A Forgotten Need:

Lisa Blanchard has set out filling a need most of us have never heard of and, frankly, would probably rather not think about. See her story, here.

#7Restaurant Regular Saves A Cupertino Institution

Janet Dancer says she always wanted to own her own restaurant. She suggested some possible places to her late husband, Bill, but he never thought the timing was right. Perhaps it wasn't the timing, after all. Maybe it was the places. See her story, here.

#8Documenting The Lost Parks Of Northern California:

Kris Rowberry counts 27 local amusement parks lost to time. He'd like to make sure they are not forgotten. Watch his story, here.

#9North Bay Woman on Quest to Save Bunnies:

After years as a marketing executive, Marcy Schaaf traded in the corporate track for the bunny trail. Read and watch more about her quest, here.

#10 From Scarface to SF State:

It is fitting that Michael Santos' story sounds like a movie, because it started with one. Read and watch more about his amazing journey here.